What is an automatic bid?

When placing an automatic bid or ‘autobid’, the Catawiki auction system will automatically increase your bid by the smallest amount permitted (the minimum bid increment) in order to put you back in the position of highest bidder whenever necessary. The system will continue to outbid other bidders until the autobid amount you entered is reached. This way, you will not have to keep entering new bids manually – all you have to do is simply enter the maximum amount you are willing to bid as an autobid. This is also very convenient if you are unable to attend the final hours of an auction. You will always and automatically be the highest bidder – as long as no-one outbids your autobid.

How does it work?

Enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay for a lot and press the ‘Autobid’ button. You'll be asked to confirm your autobid. An email will be sent to you confirming the auto-bid you placed. If at this stage you are not the highest bidder, the first possible bid will be made, bearing in mind the minimum bid increment.
For example: the highest bid for lot X, placed by another bidder, is currently $17. You would like to bid a maximum of $114. If you enter $114 as your autobid, a bid of $23 for lot X will automatically be made on your behalf.

What are the increments used?

When placing an autobid on any lot, the system will automatically outbid the highest bidder on the basis of the following minimum bid increments:

Current bid from $

to $

bid step $

$ 1

$ 12

$ 2

$ 12

$ 114

$ 6

$ 114

$ 228

$ 12

$ 228

$ 568

$ 23

$ 568

$ 1,136

$ 57

$ 1,136

$ 2,271

$ 114

$ 2,271

$ 5,676

$ 228

$ 5,676

$ 11,351

$ 568

$ 11,351

$ 22,702

$ 1,136

$ 22,702

$ 56,755

$ 2,271

$ 56,755

$ 113,510

$ 2,271

$ 113,510

$ 227,020

$ 2,271

$ 227,020

$ 567,550

$ 2,271

$ 500,000

> $ 500,000

$ 2,271

Who can see my autobid?

The amount you have entered will not be visible to any other users, or the experts. Your autobid can only be requested by a few website technicians in highly unusual situations, in case bidding patterns need to be analysed.

Can I withdraw my autobid?

Withdrawing an automatic bid is not possible. Once placed, your autobid it is unconditional and cannot be withdrawn.

What happens if someone outbids my autobid?

In this case, your bid will no longer be the highest, and you will receive an email informing you of this.

What happens if someone makes a bid which is just below my autobid amount?

If this happens, your maximum bid will automatically be placed.
Example: You have entered an autobid of $114. The highest bid is $91. Another bidder now bids $111. This bid is accepted, and subsequently outbid by your $114 autobid.

What happens if someone bids the exact same amount as that of the autobid I placed earlier?

If you had already placed an autobid to the exact same amount on the same lot, your bid will be given preference as the autobid was made earlier. The bidding history will show both bids with the same amount and time, with your own bid – the one made first – on top as the highest bid.

Can I place an autobid if I already have the highest bid?

Yes, you can. This could be a smart move if you currently have the highest bid but are unable to attend the final phase of the auction. In this case, you can enter an autobid to increase your chances of winning. The system will not use automatic bids until someone places a higher bid.

Will a lot's bidding window be increased if an automatic bid is placed during the final minute?

Yes, in this case the bidding window will be extended by 1 minute.

What about the reserve price?

If an automatic bid is placed on a lot with a reserve price, one of the following will occur:

When placing an automatic bid higher than an item’s reserve price, your first bid will automatically match that of the item’s reserve price. Your automatic bid will remain active.

When placing an automatic bid matching an item’s reserve price, your first bid will match the item’s reserve price. Having reached its maximum, your automatic bid will no longer be active.

When placing an automatic bid below an item’s reserve price, your full bid will be placed automatically, and show up in the bidding log. Having reached its maximum, your automatic bid will no longer be active.

You will be clearly notified if any of these events occur, and you'll also receive an email notification.